Beet-topping machine



April 27 1926.

J. MAZZOCCO BEET TOPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheec l `NA@ www who ,QNI

Filed Jan. 5

ATTORNEY WITNESS:

April 27 1926. 1,582,292

J- MAZZOCCO BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NEY WITNESS: ATTOR VApril 27, 1926.

J. MAZZOCCO BEET TOPPING MACHINE 5 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan.

2221. g "fr-""1:

@mesi/@220000 INVENTR ATTO R N EY Patented Apr. 27,:1926.

UNITED STATES y1,582,292 PATENT OFFICE.

` .urnas nuzzooco, on Gamm?, :mw Maxloo, AssIeNon or oma-nur 'ro FRED Morro,

0F GALLUP, NEW MEXICO.

BERT-TOPPING MACHINE.

Application nled January ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MAzzOGCO, a citizen of the United 'u' States, residing at Gallup, in the county of McKinley and btate of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beet-Topping Machines, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to improvements in heet topping machines and has for an object the provision of a machine whereby the tops of beets standing in a field may be uniforml properly, quickly and effectively removed, preparatory to harvesting the beets.

Another object of this invention is to be found in the' provision of a novel form of cutting element for simulating hand operation in removing the beet tops, together with means for operating said element, whereby the tops may be removed without injury to the beets.

Another object of the inventlon 1s to be found in the rovision of means for regulatin the position of the cutting) element altitu inally with respect to the eets, whereby the latter may be topped evenly and ,the cutting element be prevented from undesirable cutting into the beets or digging lnto the ground.

Another object of the invention 1s to be found in the provision of means whereby position regulating means for the cutting element may be mounted yieldingly and adjustably to accommodate? said cutting element to the altitude or position of the crown of a beet. l

A further object of thev invention is to be found in the provision of means whereby the beet tops may be displaced laterally after each cutting operation, so that the operation of topping succeeding beets will not thereby be interrupted nor obstructed.

Another obj ect of this invention is to provide meansfor combing or bisecting or intersecting theftopsl of standing beets in a field in order to contact an altitudinally adjusting element'with the crowns of succeeding beets and thereby control the altitude of a cutting element adapted to remove said tops an crowns progressively and uniformly,

Another object of this inventionis to pro vide' a swiftly moving cutting element, adapted to simulate hand work in cleanly and quickly-beheading or topping any Vmoving cutting element, simulatin Vwork, adapted to follow the adjusting/ele- 3, 1923. Serial No. 610,512.

standin beet coincident with the engagement with the crown thereof of an altltudinally adjusting element controlling the altitude of the cutting element.

A further object of this invention is to combine, 1n a single machine or implement three elements, viz; an altitudinally adjusting devlce adapted to comb or bisect or intersect the tops of standing beets and enga e the crowns thereof successively; a swlftgly hand ment` and cleanly and quickly behead or top successive beets; and a floating frame common to both elements and adapte-tl to apply the altitudinal adjustment of the first element to the cuttin element.l

With the above an other ob'ects in view, the invention consists of novel features of combination and details of construction, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyin drawings and pointed out in the appende claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a beet topping machine embodying Amy invention.

igure '2 is a side elevation of the same partly in section. `Fi re 3 is a transverse section taken substantially onv the line 3-3 of Figure 2. Fi substantially on t e line 4.--4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a detail plan view of the cutting relement or revolvin knife. Fi re 6 is a similar view of one orm of the a titudinally ad'usting element.

igure 7 is a fra entary side elevation illustrating a modi ed form of the invention.. Fi re 8 is a detail view of the modified form of the altitudinally adjusting eleigure 7. Figure 9 1s a section showing in4 ine 9-9 of Figure 8.

on the re 4 is a section taken' Figure 10 is a fragmentary view illustrat- 1 ing a modified form of cuttmg element and top displacer. Figure 11 is a detail plan view of the elements of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a 'fragmentary plan. view showing lanother modified form of cutting element.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the machine is shown as comprising a land vehiclehaving a main Vframe 15 sup orted on a rear axle 16`and a front axle 1 the latter'having steering knuckiles 18 pivotally mounted at each end thereo'f. The steering knuckles 18 are connected by rods 1.9 with a tongue 20, the latter being pivotally mounted as shown at 21 on the front axle 17. By reference to Figure `1 of the drawing it will be seen that when the tongue is pivotally moved, the front wheels 22 will likewise be moved, so that the machine will follow the line of draft.'

The rear wheels 23 provide traction for ceitain operating elements and together with the wheels 22 are capable of lateral relative adjustment. For this purpose both the axles 16 and 17 extend an appreciable distance beyond the sides of the frame 15, the purpose being to space the wheels on the axles in accordance with the width between rows of standing beets in a field. The wheels are held in adjusted position by collars 24 on the axles and the. rear wheels further are splined on the axle 16 so that said axle will be rotated thereby.

The main frame 15 includes a rear transverse bar 25 and an upwardly arched front transverse bar 26. A supplemental or float-` ing frame 28 is hinged at one end to the bar 25, by hinges 27, and extends within the arch of the bar 26. The frame 28 is susceptible of vertical movement through an are. Hanger rods 29 threaded in their lower portions'are mounted in and depend from the arch of the bar-26. A hanger bar 30, forming a front transverse end of the supplemen- .tal or floating frame 28 is slidingly mounted on the rods 29 and springs 31 are mounted on the rods beneath and yieldingly support said hanger bar 30. These-springs are carried by adjusting nuts 32 threaded on the lower ends of the rods. The forward end of the supplemental frame 28 mayV thus be moved through an upward arc and is yieldingly supported upon the springs 31, its

Rnormal position being adjusted through the medium of the adjusting nuts 32, which are mounted below and limit downward movement of said frame.

The supplemental framey 28 has depending therefrom a substantially U-shaped bearing yoke 33` and mounted in bearings carried by this yoke is a vertically disposed shaft 34, said sha-ft being susceptible of vertical adjustment. Mounted on the lower end of the shaft 34 is a. cutting element 35 or revolving which includes oppositely extending radial blades 36 and .oppositely extending clearing or scavenging arms 3 the latter being disposed Substantially at right angles to the blades 36. The cutting element or revolving knifelis adapted to be rotated by the operation of the shaft 34, so that the blades 36 will cut the tops of the beets, the horizontalposition lof these blades being manually determined in the first instance by adjustment of the shaft 34. This adjustment is effected by means of collars 3,8 which serve to hold the movement.

The shaft 34 is driven from the wheels 23 and for this purpose there is splined on the upper end of this shaft a pinion 39, which is engaged and driven by a gear 40 of larger diameter than thel pinion. The gear 40 is rigidly mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft 41, mounted in suitable bearings nrovided iii the supplemental or fioating frame 28, and rigidly mounted on the shaft 41 is a sprocket wheel 42. The wheel 42 is driven from a sprocket wheel 43, of larger diameter than the Vfirst sprocket, fixed on the reai axle 16, through a sprocket chain 44.Q The relative sizes of the sprocket wheels 42 and 43 and the gears 39 and 40 provide for a rapid rotation or high speed of the cutting element 35 relative to the R. P. M. of the traction wheels, the speed of said cuttin element being substantially 800 R. P. Since the supplemental or floating frame 28 is hingedly mounted on the main frame an automatic chain tightener in the form of a roller45 is carried on the outer end of an arm 46 pivoted on a part of the main frame and is yieldingly held in engagement with the chain by a spring 47 further connecting said arm and frame, so that the chain will be maintained at the proper tautsliaft against longitudinal ness to drive the shaft 34, irrespective of the relative positions of the frames 15 and 28.

The bearing yoke 33 is braced by means of longitudinal and transverse braces 48 and 49.

Various means may be employed for contact with the beets to facilitate the topping operation, one of such means being illustra-ted in detail in Figure 6. This means comprises an altitudinally adjusting member which includes a frame 50 and spaced longitudinally disposed curved parallel rods 51. This member is located in advance of the-cutting element and its rear end is flexihly and pivotally supported by hanger rods 52 which have their upper ends mounted in eyes carried by the supplemental or floating frame 28 and their lower ends 'engaging in eyes carried by the frame 50. The frame 50 and rods 51 are curved forwardly and upwardly and the forwardend of the frame is supported by adjustable hanger rods 53 pivotally secured at each side to the frame, which rods extend through parallel bearing sleeves 54 pivoted to the side bars of the supplemental or floating frame 28 as shown at 55. The upper ends of theA rods 53 are threaded and adjusting nuts 56 are screwed thereon and bear on the ends of the sleeves 54, whereby the forward end of the altitudinallv adjusting member may be vertically adjusted within movement.

Owing to the Hexible and pivotal conneclll) mesma tion of the rods 52 with the floatin vframe l 28 and altitudinally adjusting mem r, lthe Vrow of beets, the to s will enter between the rods 51 and thevr some twoA or more o rods so combing or intersecting the topsl will engage the crowns of the beets successively and be supported and altitudinally adjusted thereby, the altitudinal ad'ustment being communicated through 4the anger rods 52 and 53 to an arcuate adjustment of the float.-

l ing frame 28 and corres ending vertical adjustment of the cutting e ement so that the blades of the cutting element will horizontally strike and bisect the crowns of the beets at substantially the same plane on the beetk relative to the apex cfg-the crown, irrespective of their position above the ground and will removeV the tops and a segment of each crown slightly below the lowermost point of the contacting rods.- After the cutting element has operated to remove the top and segment, an arm 37 following the blade 36 will strike the segment or depending portion of the, top and knock the same to one side out of the path of the next succeeding blade 36 ofthe cutting element, so that the operation of to pin the next succeeding beet will not be inter ered with, interrupted or obstructed.

It will be observed thatthe amount of the se ment or crown removed may be regulated pr1marily through an adjustment 'of the cutting element 35', while the altitudinally adjustin member may rise through contact of the ro s 51 with the *beets in the event that some of thebeets extend upward above the majority in the row, the springs 31 being so tensioned and adjusted by the nuts 32`as to support the forwardlend ofthe supple-l mental or floating frame. 28 in a manner to permit the same to rise without requiring that its entire weight be lifted by contact of the altitudinally adjusting member with the crown of a beet.

In Figures 7 8 and 9 there is illustrated a different form of altitudinally-adjustingl member which includes spaced disks 57.A These disks are carried by a transverse shaft 58 whose opposite ends are mounted in bearing members 59, the latter being sup-y ported by hanger rods 60 and 61. The rods 60 have their upper ends supported in eyes carried by the supplemental Heating frame 28, while the rods 61 pass through the bearing sleeves 54 previously described, said sleeves being susceptible of pivotal adjustment upon the bolts 55. The height of the disks 57 may be adjusted and maintained in as indicated by the adjusted position by means of nut-s 62. The disks 57 are provided with openings 63 for the passage' of the shaft v58, said openings being of a ater diameter than the shaft,l so that sai disks ma be lmoved relatively 9 and thus prevent injury to the beets. 'Ihev disks 57 are spaced apart -by means of spacing sleeves 64. c 1

- n Fi uresv10 andll thereis illustrated a modifie form of cutting element, which .is shown in the form of a blade- 65 which extends -forwardly Ifrom the bearing yoke 33.4

In this form of the invention, the shaft 34 has secured thereon oppositely extending curved arms 66 which move horizontally over the top of the blade 65 and act to displace th'e severed top of the beet after the manner of the arms 37. v V

In Figure -12 there is illustrated still a different form of cutting blade. This blade which is indicatedl at 67 is provided with a substantially V-shaped notch 68 whose edges define cutting edges, so that as the beet top enters this V-shaped notch during the forward movement of the machine, the said top will be removed by'a shearing action.

The invention is susceptible of various changesin its form, proportions and minor details of construct-ion and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention--l otted lines in Flgure- 1. A beet toppingmachine embodying a n main frame, wheels supporting the frame, a vertlcally-movable frame carrled by the mam frame, a device supplemental floating.

depending from and carried by the supplev mental frame, a shaft vertically disposed and mounted for rotation in said device, means for rotating said shaft, a cutting element horizontally disposed onsaid vertical shaft, and yieldingly-mounted substantially horizontally-disposed altitudinally-guiding ele` ments connected with said supplemental frame, said altitudinally-guiding elements being located in advance ofthe cutting element and adapted to engage the crowns of beets vfor regulating the plane of contact of the cutting element withV the beets during the cutting operation.

2. A beettopping machine embodying a main frame, wheels supporting the frame, a supplemental floating frame having one end hingedly secured to the mainframe, means for yieldingly supporting the opposite end of the supplemental frame, whereby the latter may be moved vertically, a devicede- .pending from and vcarried by the supplemental frame, a shaft vertically disposed and mounted for' rotation in said device, means for rotating said shaft, and a cutting element carried by said vertical shaft, togetherfwith Aspaced means carried by the supplemental frame in advance of the cutting element, said llO the supplemental frame,

posed shaftmounted for spaced means being adapted to engage the crowns of beets for regulating the altitudinal position of the cutting element.

3. A beet-topping machine embodying a main frame, a vertically movable supplemental floating frame carried thereby, a device depending from and carried by the supplemental frame, a shaft vertically disposed and mounted for rotation in said device, means for rotating said shaft, a cutting element horizontally disposed on said shaft and means for, yieldingly and adjustably supporting the supplementalframe to regulate the altitudinal position Vof the cutting element.

4.- A beet-topping machine embodying a main frame, a vertically movable supplemental floating frame carried thereby, a device depending from and carried by the supplemental fra-me, a shaft vertically'disposed and mounted for rotation in said device, means for rotating said shaft, a cutting element horizontally Vdisposed on said shaft, scavenging means carried 'by said shaft and operable after each cutting operation to displace the severed beet tops, means for yieldingly and adjustably supporting the supplemental frame to regulate the altitudinal position ofthe cutting element and scavenging means and means for adjusting the altitude of the scavenging means and the cutting element o n said shaft.

5. A beet topping machine embodying aI main frame, a vertically movable supplemental floating frame carried thereby, a substantially U-shaped bearing yoke carried by rotation in said yoke, means whereby the shaft may be rotated, a horizontally disposed cutting element mounted on the shaft, and means for yieldingly and adjustably supporting the supplemental frame to regulate the' altitudinal position of the cutting element.

'6. A beet-topping machine embodying a main frame, a vertically movable supplemental floating frame carried thereby, a supporting device depending from and carried by the supplementalframe, a shaft vertically disposed and vertically adjustable in 'saiddeviceg means for rotating said shaft, a

cutting element horizontally disposed on said shaft beneath said device, means for supporting the supplemental frame auxiliary to its primary support on the main frame, a substantially rectangular frame curved longitudinally and disposed beneath the supplemental frame, hangers adjustably and flexibly connecting the forward end of said rectangular frame to said supplemental frame, means fr flexibly connecting the rear portion of the rectangular framev to the supplemental frame, the latter means serving as a fulcrum for the rectangular frame, and spaced bars a vertically dis-` inv and carried rigidly'by said rectangular locatedin advance of the topping element together with curved spaced bars in and rigidly carried by said curved frame for combing through the tops of the beets, engaging the crowns thereof and thereby regulating the altitudinal adjustment ofthe topping element.

8. A beet-topping machine embodying a frame, wheels supporting said frame, a relatively movable supplemental frame having one end hingedly secured to the main frame, an upwardly arched yoke on the main frame extending across the forward end portion of y the supplemental frame, hangers depending from said yoke and extending loosely through the front end bar of the supplemental frame, expansive coil springs on said hangers below said bar, adjusting means onv said hangers below said springs, together With a cutting element carried by the supple-mentalV frame and means also carried by the supplemental frame in advance of thc cutting element for supporting and altitudinally guiding said cutting element from and relative to the crowns of the beets during the topping operation.

9. A beet toppingmachine embodying a trame, wheels supporting the frame, a relatively movable supplemental frame having one end hingedly secured to the main frame, 105 means for yieldingly supporting the opposite end of the supplemental frame AWhereby said frame may be moved through an arc "ertically, said means including a yieldingly supported hangerbar, ting clement carried by the supplemental frame and means also carried by the supplemental frame in advance of the cutting element for supporting and al-titudinally guiding said cuttingelement from and relative 115 to the crowns of the beets during the topping operation.A

10. A beet topping machine embodying a frame, wheels supporting the frame, a relatively movable supplemental frame having 12 one end hingedlv secured to the main frame, means for yieldingly supporting the opposite end of the supplemental frame, whereby said frame may be moved through an arc vertically. said means including verticallv 125 together with a cutl mega -crowns thereo to altitudinally adjust the plane of contact of thecutting element with the crowns of the beets.

11. In a beet-topping machine a cutting element mounted for rotary travel on a horizontal plane, a top-scavenging element mounted for rotation with said cutting element, and means for driving said elements conjunctivel at substantially 800 R. P. M.

12. In a. eet-topping machine a cutting element composed of a knife having a curved edge, said knife being vmounted in radial relation to a. driving means and adapted to be driven at relatively high speed ladapted to simulate hand work and an altitudinally adjusting member adapted to comb through the tops and engage the crowns of beets, whereby the plane of contact of the cutting element with said beets is adjusted and determined.

13. In abeet-topping machine a high speed #5 (substantially 800 It. P. M.) rad1a11y-ar ranged rotary cutting element having curved cuttln edges eccentric to the axis of rotation o the element adapted to simulate hand work and adapted to decrown beets successively and an altitudinally adjusting member adapted to comb through the tops and engage the. crowns of beets, whereby the plane of con'tact of the cutting element withy said beets is adjusted and determined..

14. In a beet top-ping machine, a` knife mounted 'forc rotary travel around an axis, said knife being -formed with a cutting edge eccentric to said axis and means for driving said knife at relatively highspeed simulating hand work. 4

15. In a beet topping machine, a radial knife, as contradistinguished to a disc, said knife being formed with cutting edges eccentric to its axis, on similarparabollc -curves and opposite to each other and means for driving said knife at relatively high-speed simulating hand work.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

' 'JAMES MAzzocco. 

